


Give Me A Reason to Run

by nuttinonice



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha Shiro (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Bottom Keith (Voltron), Friends to Lovers, Half-Galra Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Keith (Voltron), Omega Verse, Pilot Keith (Voltron), Pilot Shiro (Voltron), SHEITH - Freeform, Top Shiro (Voltron), both are cisgender with cis male genitalia using AMAB language, heat comfort, secret galra keith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:47:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28114869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nuttinonice/pseuds/nuttinonice
Summary: On the first day of training, Keith hadn’t expected his co-pilot to be so… attractive. Or an Alpha. Or way too specifically Keith’s type in every single way with a chiseled body marked in scars, hair dyed bright white, and dark eyes that could melt him. The scent alone is distracting.Shiro.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 296





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was made for @sleepinthru and I hope y'all enjoy it too!

On the first day of training, Keith hadn’t expected his co-pilot to be so… attractive. Or an Alpha. Or way too specifically Keith’s type in every single way with a chiseled body marked in scars, hair dyed bright white, and dark eyes that could melt him. The scent alone is distracting.

Shiro.

In some ways, it was helpful. Keith likes him. He wants to impress him and he has to focus extra hard to keep from being distracted by him. His scent, the easy way he talks and jokes with Keith in the cockpit. 

Now, Keith would consider them to be friends at least. They train together, hitting the gym, grabbing a smoothie afterwards, sparring, running drill after drill with one another. As co-pilots in a rigorous space program, there’s a lot of working together. Keith’s glad he’s been paired with someone so kind and fun to be around. There’s just… a few problems about that. 

Keith will make one problem a priority for now — he needs to keep himself from turning into a horny feral mess over this guy. Shiro’s alpha scent is overwhelming at times, so perfectly pleasant. He smells like cinnamon and campfires, warm like the sun. Keith secretly relishes when they spar together for training purposes. He gets to inhale that scent deeply under the guise of catching his breath, feel Shiro’s body press so close against his own. 

He feels dirty every time he does it. Guilty and ashamed as he presses his face into his pillow and moans into the cotton as he jerks through an orgasm. It started with one impulsive fantasy before coming and soon fantasizing about Shiro became a habit, routine even.

Keith’s pondered asking him out. His heart pounds when he analyzes how well Shiro’s scent mixes with his own, like how people describe a soul mate’s. But they can’t be meant for one another. First, he’d be taking a huge risk getting involved with someone he has to work alongside all day every day, but then there’s… another matter. Keith doesn’t like to think about it. 

“It sounds like you really like this guy, Kiddo. What’s the hold up?”

“A lot of things.” Keith slumps in his chair. It’s his monthly video call with his mother and he’s spent the whole time rambling about Shiro so far. He’s sitting at his desk, alone in his solo dormitory on the Garrison, while his mom is on the kickass base of the Blades of Marmora. Her setting looks a little more fun at the moment. “I mean… It’s not just that he might not like me if he found out I’m…”

“An alien human hybrid stowed away on Earth for safety?”

“Yes.” Keith pouts. His mom is a lot of things and blunt is definitely one of them. 

“Well, it sounds like he’s a trustworthy person. If you two have a close friendship, why not tell him? You know I’ve always told you I’ll never forbid you from disclosing your identity as long as it’s only to people you trust.”

“It’s more complicated than that.” Keith’s heart sinks. “Maybe being half alien would be one thing, but half Galra… Shiro would hate me.”

“What makes you think that?” Krolia frowns, offended at the notion anyone might hate someone like her son. Sometimes Keith thinks his mom’s world really does revolve around him with how defensive she gets. 

“He’s done a lot of intergalactic missions and he’s one of the only pilots here that’s had an encounter with the Galra.” Keith grimaces. “They um… They took him captive. Other Garrison troops on the mission recovered him, but he lost an arm. He has a really cool prosthetic for it now and everything, but people have told me they tortured him in there and that he has some kind of PTSD from the whole thing. He doesn’t like talking about it.”

“That is a little awkward.” Krolia tuts. “But if he’s as sweet and sincere as you think he is, maybe he’ll understand. Just think about it. Make sure you’re not just falling for him because he’s a nice smelling Alpha too, I know the age you’re at.” She narrows her eyes slightly. “But I trust your judgement.”

“I’m not just gonna jump the first Alpha I see.” Keith blushes. “He does smell nice though.”

Krolia chuckles at him before turning her head to respond to an order. “Hey Keith, I gotta run. I’ll try to call more often, okay? Keep me posted.”

“Will do, Mom.” Keith smiles, giving her a mock two-fingered salute before he signs off of the video call and groans, pressing his forehead against the desk. 

Why are things always so complicated with him? He’s born a half alien half human, an affront to the purist Galra regime currently in power, so here he is, having spent his whole life on Earth in hiding, so he isn’t killed. A normal childhood until the age of ten, then a few horrible years in the foster system before enrolling at the Garrison. Just when he got here as a cadet, he had presented. Not as an Alpha like everyone thought he would be, given his quick temper and fiery stubbornness, but as an Omega. 

He’d gone through his first heat alone, shut away in a single dorm, too humiliated to go to the infirmary for help. He’s had a few quick fucks in his life, but he’s never let anyone help him during heat before and now that he’s getting through his mid-twenties… Keith is longing to find a mate. 

Then comes along the perfect guy. Takashi Shirogane — part pilot, Greek Adonis, acclaimed pilot, and sweetest guy Keith’s ever met. Oh yeah, but he’s a victim of a Galran war crime where he had his arm cut off by the very people who granted Keith half his genealogy. Not so perfect anymore.

Well, Keith supposes that part isn’t necessarily a fault of Shiro’s. Actually, he finds it more of a fault within himself. If he could just be normal in one little aspect of his identity, it wouldn’t be such a horrible complicated position to have something as simple as a crush on a friend and co-worker. 

Speaking of handsome friend and co-worker, Keith is set to meet him in just a few minutes for a sparring session. It’s required they do something like that at least once a week, a team building thing that keeps them in top physical shape, but they do it a little more often than that. They have opposite fighting styles and make for an impressive match up against one another. Their spars can go on ages before one of them finally yields — usually Keith, but not always. 

Secretly, Keith looks forward to these sessions every single time. It’s the only way he gets to be pressed up against Shiro in every which way. He feels horribly perverted about it, but Shiro in the tiny tight shorts and white tank top he wears for exercise make for an image that doesn’t leave much to the imagination. He’s seen the bulge between Shiro’s legs up close and it is… substantial. Proportional may be a more appropriate way of putting it for someone of Shiro’s general size. 

In these training sessions, Keith has felt the outline of Shiro’s broad chest and shoulders, seen the outline of his abs when his white shirt is drenched in sweat. He can’t even think about Shiro’s ass without feeling some type of way, but above all, what Keith enjoys about it is Shiro’s scent. 

The more they work out, the stronger Shiro’s comforting aroma becomes. Time and time again, when he’s had Keith pinned down, Keith was sure Shiro was going to scent him. He longs for his best friend to push his face into his neck and nuzzle his nose against the sensitive spot under his jaw, kiss his neck, trail those soft looking lips down Keith’s skin. 

Keith shivers and crosses his legs. He doesn’t have enough time between now and their next session to get hard right now. 

As usual, he’ll just have to control himself. An adolescence ripe with rage issues had primed him for that at least.

He changes out of his uniform and into something more comfortable, short Garrison issue orange shorts that he always feels cute in and a tight white tank top to match Shiro’s. His chest has filled out a lot lately since he started lifting a little more and he likes how the shirt shows it off. 

He messes with his hair in the mirror for a while, knowing it’ll be messed up within thirty seconds of sparring with Shiro, but still, Keith likes to make an entrance. He’s noticed that on the days he dolls himself up a bit, for lack of a better term, Shiro smiles a little wider when Keith walks through the door. 

Keith dabs the tiniest bits of cologne behind his ears, knowing their platonic hugs always last the tiniest bit longer when he gives Shiro something to lean into. He shouldn’t be so deliberate. He shouldn’t be thinking this much about practically seducing Shiro, but he can’t help himself. He’s not exactly going after him, but he’s allowed to have a little fun isn’t he? He’s in his twenties, what’s wrong with a little flirting?

Keith leaves the quarters with a spring in his step as he makes his way through the base towards the training rooms. He smiles meekly and waves at other coworkers who pass him by, always a little bit shy of the others. Shiro’s really the only person at work he feels comfortable around and knowing he’s one of the only omegas on the base, well… Keith wants to stay on good terms with all the alphas around. The whispers about military culture and sexual assault make his stomach feel tight when working in an environment where he’s so outnumbered. 

But then there’s Shiro, an alpha so kind, Keith would’ve thought he was a beta at least — if not for his scent. He’s seen Shiro glare at a few other pilots who have thrown unwanted looks Keith’s way and each time, Keith had relished in how it felt to pretend like he belonged to Shiro. 

When he gets to the training room, Shiro’s waiting for him, stretching in the corner in shorts much tighter than what he usually wears, coupled with his usual white tank top. As usual, there’s not much left to the imagination. 

“Hey.” Shiro grins, sitting on the floor with his legs straight as he bends to touch his toes. “Come warm up. If you don’t, I’m gonna kick your ass.”

“You are not gonna kick my ass today.” Keith chuckles as he settles onto the rubber floor nearby and begins to stretch as well, enjoying the satisfying ache after a day of mostly idle work and sitting in his room. “All that muscle is just weight I can use against you.”

“You’d have to catch me first.” Shiro winks and Keith’s heart thumps at the gesture. 

They’ve been getting more and more like this lately — comfortable, flirtatious, even a little teasing. 

Keith hurries through his warm up a bit, eager to get the show on the road and feel a little human contact for once. 

He’s the definition of touch starved. The most physically intimate thing Keith has ever done is oral sex a few times when he was a bit younger, a few makeout sessions scattered through his early adulthood. No one ever touches him but Shiro and Keith leaves their sparring sessions so content that it feels like Shiro’s given him a full body massage, not toppled him onto the mat a dozen times over. 

They take their place in the center of the room and begin, Keith making the first moves, quick high kicks that Shiro blocks and a swing he ducks right under before flipping Keith down. 

Keith squirms his way out of the first hold, flipping their position to pin Shiro in turn before he’s overpowered by Shiro’s strength and ends up on his back again, legs falling open around Shiro’s hips. 

Whoops. 

“That was fast.” Keith pants, his face flushed as Shiro holds his wrists to the mat. 

“You were too cocky.” Shiro smiles, staying in place. The way his little floof of hair falls over his forehead as he looks down on Keith has his heart practically singing. 

Being in this position… it feels so right, that Keith wants to scream. He can smell Shiro already, the aroma overwhelming and his biology reacts as it’s expected to. He’s pinned down by an Alpha with his legs spread and arms held down and his cock stiffens accordingly, much to Keith’s despair. 

“Um, I-I yield.” Keith stutters, his cheeks burning red. His shorts don’t hide anything and Keith doesn’t know what’s worse — Shiro pressing further down and feeling that Keith is hard after one quick round of sparring, or letting himself up and knowing Shiro will see the undeniable bulge in his shorts. It’s miserable. 

“You okay?” Shiro frowns, concerned as he quickly lets go of Keith’s wrists and gets off of him, sitting back on his heels. 

Keith bolts upright to a sitting position, blushing furiously as he pushes his hands into his lap to cover himself. 

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry.” Keith swallows hard, his heart pounding. This hasn’t happened to him before… They’ve done this a dozen times and Keith had never gotten such an obvious erection. It’s not even going down, if anything it’s getting worse — seeing the doting worry in Shiro’s eyes, all of that empathy and concern fixated on him. He doesn’t have a clue what he’s supposed to do in this situation.

“It’s um… It’s okay, Keith.” Shiro says and his kind tone is genuine. “It happens. Especially at the Garrison, I mean, I don’t think any of us have had time to be with anyone this year.” He laughs a little and sits himself down comfortably next to Keith. “Come here.”

“What?” Keith’s heart leaps. 

“Your temperature.” Shiro smiles, inching closer and raising a hand to feel Keith’s forehead. He leans in a little closer as he does it and Keith watches in real time as some sort of realization seems to dawn on his friend. His eyes widen, cheeks flushing pink as he takes his hand away from Keith. 

“What is it?” Keith swallows, his stomach turning. If he’s made Shiro uncomfortable, he’ll set himself on fire at this point. His cock is still aching between his legs and he feels like the worst, most perverted friend in the world.

“I think you um…” Shiro clears his throat. “I-I can smell you.” He blushes, looking away and scrubbing a hand through his hair. 

“What do you mean?” Keith’s heart is hammering with anxiety. Has he grossed Shiro out? Does he smell like Shiro does to him, or does Shiro hate his scent? Is this attraction completely one sided? 

“I think you might be starting to go into heat?” Shiro winces. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be invasive, it’s just that you’re really warm and sweating a little more than usual, and you um…” He swallows when he looks over at Keith again. “You always smell kind of good, but when you walked in today, I noticed it was a little more… Powerful.” 

Oh fuck. “I put cologne on.” Keith says in a desperate attempt to come up with any other theory than that Shiro may have triggered him into an early heat. He wasn’t supposed to have one for another few months and they both know it takes a powerful attraction to trigger an early heat.

If the Galra could open a blackhole up underneath the Garrison and swallow him up, Keith would page his mom immediately to do it. 

“Keith, it’s fine. It’s natural.” Shiro assures him despite the flush on his cheeks. He turns completely pink except for the scar on his nose, which stays the same color. The adorableness of the feature does not help Keith’s current predicament. “Do you… have a plan to get through it?”

“No.” Keith gulps, a lump quickly starting to form in his throat. He had requested time off for three months from now, a couple days in a hotel room to ride it out in comfort and privacy. He had no preparations to go through a heat alone in his dorm room. The bed is too small to nest in, there’s no privacy. He keeps his hands cupped over himself to hide the still persistent hard on and blinks hard. Do not make this worse by crying. 

“Hey.” Shiro says in a soft voice, coming a little closer again. “Hey, hey, it’ll be alright. Don’t freak out.”

“I-I don’t know what I’m gonna do.” Keith sniffs. “I only get these twice a year and they’re usually really bad and I…” The words get caught in his throat. 

“Do you have someone to help you through them? Someone I can call?”

“You know I don’t.” Keith tries to tease him, but it just comes out as scared and pathetic. He is scared right now. Going through his heats alone is hard, but that’s why he plans for them. He curates the most comfortable space he can, locks himself away with a heat aid, and rides it out until it passes. He’s not ready for this to happen right now.

“Okay, that’s fine.” Shiro nods, pushing himself up to his feet and offering Keith a hand. 

Keith shakes his head, hands still stubbornly pushed between his legs. 

“It’s just us in here, it’s fine.” Shiro says with a comforting smile. “I’m a guy too, it’s not like I won’t get it, or haven’t seen one before.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to just go?” Keith croaks, staring down at the floor to avoid Shiro’s kind eyes. “I-I mean… I know we’re friends kind of, but I’m also your co-pilot, I don’t… I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or make work weird, or-”

“Keith, you’re my friend far before my coworker.” Shiro assures, offering his hand once again. “Get up, we’ll figure out a way to get you back to your room and we’ll figure out how to get you through this.” He stops for a moment and bites his lip. “Unless you want me to leave you alone? I’m sorry if I’m being too invasive.”

“You’re not, I-I need…” Keith’s mouth wobbles. He’d felt fine just an hour ago, how is this happening to him right now? “I need someone.” He says in a quiet voice, barely audible as he takes Shiro’s hand and allows himself to be pulled up from the floor.

Keith doesn’t miss the way Shiro glances down. It’s subtle and quick, like Shiro immediately caught himself and looked away, but he notices it nonetheless. 

“Here.” Shiro says, walking over to the corner of the room where he’d been stretching and picking up his water bottle along with a small towel. “Try to hold this over yourself, I’ll walk you back to your room.”

Keith swipes the towel from his head and gives a humiliated nod, too mortified to speak as he hides himself with the small rag. 

“Just stay behind me, I’ll scare anyone off.” Shiro smiles, always reassuring as he opens the door to the training room and leads Keith out. 

The walk is absolutely miserable. Keith is incredibly emotional and especially sensitive when he goes into heat, so he feels like every pair of eyes are on him as they pass people in the hall. He knows he looks teary eyed, that his face is flushed, that he’s holding the towel in a very awkward strategic position. To make matters worse, he’s still smelling Shiro and the gorgeous scent is making his head swim. He wants to be held so badly right now. He always does during heat, as any omega would crave, but he wants it right now so much it hurts. 

Keith unlocks the door when they get to his single bedroom and he quickly steps inside along with Shiro before locking it again. 

“Fuck.” Keith sighs, already feeling sweat break over his skin. He’s so hot, it’s insufferable. The ache between his legs is growing, his cock begging to be touched, to be relieved by the sweet smelling Alpha who’s standing right in front of him, but Keith can’t. He can’t fuck up his friendship, he can’t trick Shiro into sleeping with the very alien race who cut off his arm. He drops the towel, tired of holding it as his body temperature continues to uncomfortably rise. 

He’s fucked. 

*****

“Are you okay?” Shiro asks, looking at his best friend in conflict. He shouldn’t be doing this… He shouldn’t be here, he should take Keith to the infirmary for help, not walk into the room of the omega he’s had his heart set on for months now.

He’s been trying to woo him practically since the day they met. He took Keith to lunch, asked him all about himself, enjoyed every second of too-intimate sparring with him, but Keith is a bit… oblivious sometimes. Shiro treasures the friendship they’ve built between each other but he can’t deny his attraction to his co-pilot. Keith is lithe and strong, so flexible, and beautiful no matter what he’s doing. He’s secretive about himself, never sharing much with Shiro, but still, Keith smells like summer rain, a scent Shiro longs to wrap himself in and now here he is… 

He’s in Keith’s room. Shiro feels like a voyeur as he watches Keith lean back against the wall, the towel dropped at his feet. He can see Keith’s hard on pretty clearly through his shorts and his biology is screaming at him to take care of Keith. It feels like it should be his job. There’s a gorgeous omega right here. Keith is in distress, he needs relief, but would Shiro be a complete and total pervert if he offered to help in… that way? Would he completely cross the line between them as two people who have to work together? 

“I’m not.” Keith groans, eyes scrunched shut as he squirms against the wall, like he can’t even find a comfortable way to stand. 

“Tell me what to do, Keith.” Shiro says, his heart aching at the sight of his friend (and crush) in so much pain. He hates that he can’t stop looking down at the beautiful cock trapped in orange fabric. He longs to touch, but he keeps his feet planted. Keith is vulnerable right now and while Shiro will do everything to help him, he won’t take advantage of his friend. Not now, not ever.

“I-I don’t know.” Keith’s mouth wobbles. “I don’t… I don’t want to be alone right now because I get really fucking sensitive when I’m like this, but I really don’t want to freak you out, this is so embarassing.” 

“Don’t be embarrassed.” Shiro tries to soothe, taking a step forward. “I’m right here for you. Tell me whatever you need.”

Keith looks at him miserably, opening his mouth like he’s going to speak before he closes it again, shifting from foot to foot as if in deep thought, trying to consider his words while his body demands immediate attention. “Lay down with me?” He asks, his voice quiet and broken. “I-I just need… I-I need to feel someone touching me.”

Shiro sucks in a breath and nods his head, looking at the bed out of the corner of his eye. “Of course.”

Keith lets out a sigh, resigning a little bit to his situation it seems as he peels off his tank top, now damp with sweat, and kicks his shoes off before pushing off of the wall to fall into bed. 

Shiro leaves his shirt, but removes his shoes, heart pounding as he approaches the bed and lies down carefully next to Keith, leaving a few inches between them. Keith topless is a sight for sore eyes, his pecs strong and his nipples perky. His abs aren’t immediately noticeable, but they’re there. A light patch of hair under Keith’s belly button leads down his navel to the white waistband of his shorts. Shiro licks his lips without noticing. 

“Can you…” Keith’s face is bright red as he turns onto his side and scoots back to be closer to Shiro, facing away from him. 

“Yeah, of course.” Shiro answers, determined not to let on how much it makes his heart soar that Keith wants to be spooned by him. He’s longed to take this man in his arms for months… 

Shiro sidles up behind him, keeping his hips respectfully back a little bit as he wraps one arm around Keith and holds him against his chest. His skin is practically on fire. “Like this?” 

“Would you mind um… You don’t have to, but if you could maybe…” Keith stops and sighs at himself.

“What do you need?”

“Could you maybe take your shirt off? I just need to feel someone else’s skin, I’m so sorry.” Keith winces and it takes all of Shiro’s willpower not to soothe him with a kiss. 

“Don’t worry about it, Keith. Ask me for whatever you need.” Shiro says, hoping Keith can’t sense his fluttering heartbeat as he pulls away and tugs his shirt off over his head, tossing it to the floor before holding Keith close to him again, his bare chest pressed against the soft skin of Keith’s back. If he wasn’t so worried about Keith, this would be heaven. 

Keith hugs Shiro’s forearm like it’s a teddy bear and takes a deep breath, still squirming a little in discomfort, but after a few minutes, he seems to settle down a little. Sneaking a glance down, Shiro can see Keith is still aroused. In fact, a wet patch has formed on the front of his shorts.

“Keith?”

“Hm?”

“If you want me to leave, so you can… take care of yourself, that’s fine. I want you to feel better.”

“I know I need to deal with it, but I just really don’t want to be by myself.” Keith laments, biting hard on his lower lip and squeezing Shiro’s arm. “I don’t know what to do.” 

Shiro’s chest aches at the misery in Keith’s voice. He wants to relieve him so badly. It feels horrible, to be an alpha just standing by as an omega practically writhes in heat, right here in his arms. “Keith, I… if this is too far, we can pretend it never even happened, but I’m an Alpha and I can… I-I can help you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me so long to post to AO3, enjoy!

Keith thinks he might be having a heart attack. Or a stroke. Possibly both? Either way, his best friend and the guy he’s crazy about is right here in his bed, offering to take care of him in his heat and his body is _screaming_ at him to say yes. Would he be taking advantage of Shiro? Keeping this humongous secret, but having sex with him? No, not sex… he’s still a virgin after all and he doesn’t want his first time to be tainted by the humiliation he feels right now.

But still, he wants Shiro so badly, whether he’s in heat or not, and he needs relief. 

“Will you think of me any differently?” Keith asks, shy.

“Never. Just tell me what you want, Keith.”

“I need out of these.” Keith groans and gives in, shoving his shorts and underwear down and kicking them off. He sighs in relief immediately when he feels the cool air against his cock, heavy and painfully hard against his stomach. 

“Keith.” Shiro breathes next to him, his face flushed and eyes gone dark with desire. Keith’s heart jumps. “Oh, Keith…” 

He likes what he’s seeing? Keith swallows as he looks up at Shiro and takes his hand, almost trembling with nerves as he guides it down, resting it on his dick and watching carefully for his response.

“ _Keith._ ” Shiro groans again like he can’t help it, immediately wrapping his hand around his cock and stroking it lovingly, a firm but gentle grip that makes Keith’s whole body shiver.

“Shiro.” Keith sighs in response, arching his back into the touch. 

“Can I scent you?” Shiro asks and Keith nods so fast, he almost knocks his head on the wall beside them.

Keith tips his head back and bares his neck, his mouth falling open in a silent moan as Shiro leans in close and nuzzles that extra sensitive spot under his jaw. It feels so _good_ , warm tingles down his spine as Shiro kisses the spot as well and continues to touch him. 

“Does that feel good?”

“So good.” Keith chokes, his body on fire as he begins to roll his hips upward against Shiro's fist. The sheets are damp with sweat beneath them already and Keith’s emotions are swelling. His heat is like a truth serum at this point and everything Shiro is doing, it just feels so _right._ It’s scratching an itch Keith feels like he’s had since he was born.

“ _Shiro_.” Keith gasps, pushing a hand up into Shiro's hair, holding his nape to encourage him as Shiro begins to kiss and suckle on his neck. “Shiro, fuck, fuck, I have to tell you something.”

Shiro stops immediately, pausing his hand and lifting his head from Keith’s neck. “What is it? You okay?”

“I really fucking like you.” Keith winces, covering his face with his hands. “I’m a stupid idiot and I wanted to ask you out but I thought I was being weird and now we’re doing this and I… I just need you to know I like you.” 

Shiro looks at him with complete adoration in his eyes, smiling down at Keith and bending to kiss his forehead. “I’ve felt the exact same way about you, Keith.” He murmurs and Keith feels himself preen. “The way you smell, the way you make me laugh on every flight, how smart you are, I just…” He laughs a little. “I’m crazy about you.”

Maybe it’s the heat fueled desperation, or maybe it’s the months of pining, but Keith is full of want at Shiro's words. It makes up his mind for him, he wants this man inside him. He wants to be Shiro’s Omega, _only his._

“I want to see you.” Keith pants. “Show me.” 

Shiro obeys, shoving his own shorts down and off to let Keith see his unobscured cock, fully hard and flushed red at the tip. It’s big, bigger than anything Keith has ever put inside himself. Before he can remark on it, Shiro’s hand is on his cheek and he’s being kissed.

Keith’s eyes flutter shut, Shiro’s soft lips pressing against his own in the sweetest kiss he’s ever been given. A gentle tongue prods into his mouth and Keith welcomes it, reaching over to wrap his hand around Shiro’s cock while his tongue explores and stroking.

“Fuck.” Shiro breaks the kiss.

“I want you to fuck me with this.”

“Huh?” Shiro’s cock twitches in Keith’s hand, fully interested in the proposition, but Shiro’s chivalrous moral compass objects. “But have you even ever…”

“Shiro, I want it.” Keith breathes, pressing their foreheads together as he plays with Shiro’s cock, running his thumb around the tip, teasing his slit. It feels like it was made for him. “Please.” 

To emphasize his confidence in the decision, Keith rolls onto his back, spreading his legs and looking at Shiro with want in his eyes. He’s already wet, his body naturally preparing for Shiro to enter him. He doesn’t know if he’s ever craved something so badly in his life.

“You’re beautiful.” Shiro sighs as he rolls on top of him and catches Keith in another kiss, pressing his hips back and forth to rub their slick hard ons together between them until Keith breaks the kiss to moan at the sensation. “Let me take care of you, baby. I’ll be your Alpha, I’ll make you feel so good.”

Baby? Keith grins at the pet name and the declaration of ownership. _His_ Alpha. He parts his thighs as much as he can in the position they’re in and braces himself on Shiro's shoulders for the ride. 

*****

Sliding into Keith is more satisfying than any casual fuck Shiro’s ever had in his life. He’s been around here and there, usually finding casual fuck buddies for his ruts, but this? This is entirely new.

Keith’s body welcomes him without restraint, the taut muscle relaxing for him, accommodating every inch as Shiro pushes in until Keith’s body fits him like a glove. His warm walls grip his cock, but best of all, Keith looks at him with an expression of pure pleasure.

His lips are parted, eyebrows scrunched together, cheeks pink as he watches Shiro push inside of him, only letting out the occasional whine or whimper.

“Does it feel good?” Shiro asks, leaning in to muzzle his nose against Keith’s scent gland once more. “Because you feel so amazing, Keith.”

“It feels perfect.” Keith says as he wraps his arms around his neck and arches his back. “Now fuck me until I can’t walk tomorrow.”

“You’re such a good Omega for me.” Shiro praises as he backs himself halfway out and pushes back in, repeating the slow motion a few more times go make sure Keith’s wet enough and comfortable before he begins to fuck him at a steadier pace. “I’m gonna take such good care of you, I’m gonna make you feel all better, baby.” The term of endearment rolls off his tongue like he’s been calling Keith ‘baby’ for months now. He doesn’t miss the way Keith’s ass tightens and the red on his cheeks deepens when Shiro calls him that.

“Shiro.” Keith pants underneath him, running a hand through his hair. “Harder.”

Shiro obliges, snapping his hips and groaning when it makes Keith gasp. 

“Don’t stop, don’t stop.” Keith pleads, arching up to get closer, tucking his face into the crook of Shiro’s neck.

He can feel Keith’s breath now, panting hot puffs of air against Shiro’s neck. Keith’s cock is slick and hard between their bodies, rubbing up against his abs when Shiro pushes in deep. 

“Shiro, fuck, fuck.” Keith whines, his nails dragging down Shiro’s back as he hooks a leg up over his hips. “A-Am I… Am I doing okay?.”

“You’re doing perfectly.” Shiro murmurs before silencing him with a kiss, enjoying the way Keith’s body inches up the bed a little when he fucks in hard, how he has to keep chasing his lips. “You feel incredible, Keith, I’ve thought about this a million times.” He sighs as he pushes in deep and rolls his hips, biting his lip to keep control. 

It would be so easy to come in Keith right now, but he doesn’t want to cut this short. He wants to give Keith the relief he needs for his heat and make sure he comes hard. Keith could be his Omega for good now, or at least a long while. Shiro’s going to take care of him properly, like an Alpha should. 

He fucks Keith steadily, lavishing his neck and lips in kisses, murmuring praise, so Keith understands how _good_ this feels, how much Shiro _wants_ this.

“Shiro.” Keith gasps, reaching for Shiro’s metal hand and clutching it to his chest. “I-I think I’m gonna come, but it feels…” He stops and whines for a second, holding Shiro’s robotic hand even tighter. Shiro’s heart warms. People often look at his arm like a weapon, but here Keith is clutching it for comfort. “It feels different.” Keith breathes, writhing beneath him as he gets caught between pressing back against Shiro or up to grind his cock against Shiro’s stomach. 

“You’ve never come untouched before?” Shiro grins, slowing his thrusts to stave off his own orgasm. 

Keith shakes his head and digs his heel into the small of Shiro’s back. “Don’t stop.”

Shiro takes it as a green light and kisses Keith hard as he speeds up the rocking of his hips, carefully working Keith up more and more to his peak. He feels Keith’s thighs tense against his hips, hears his breath become quick and shallow. Keith’s nails dig into his shoulder and a few more thrusts is all it takes.

Keith comes with a wail, wrapping both legs around Shiro’s hips to keep him in deep as he spills between them, squirming in pleasure as it rocks through him.

Shiro reaches his own climax just as Keith’s gasps start to fade into whimpers and he tucks his face into Keith’s neck as he comes deep inside him. It occurs to him that he didn’t ask if Keith wanted him to wear a condom, but as he comes down and presses his forehead to Keith’s he knows he’s done just what this spitfire of an Omega beneath him wanted.

“I’ve never felt that.” Keith breathes, hugging Shiro against his chest. “You took my fever away.”

“Yeah?” Shiro smiles, nuzzling their noses together and planting a chaste kiss on Keith’s lips. “You’ll feel worked up again sometime soon, but are you feeling okay now?”

“I feel great.” Keith laughs, letting go of him, so Shiro can pull out. “I didn’t freak you out or anything, did I? You better not show up to work pretending like you didn’t just take my virginity.”

“Of course not.” Shiro smiles as he lays down beside him, loving how Keith’s hair looks — wild and crazy, damp with sweat. His face is still adorably flushed, but when he kisses his forehead to check his temperature, it’s cool again. “I mean, if it’s what you want too, I’d love to maybe… try this.”

“This?” Keith smiles back at him. 

“Sorry.” Shiro chuckles, smoothing one hand up Keith’s side. “I mean… maybe take you out on some real dates? Get to know you a little more?” He catches half a wince when he mentions getting to know him, but Shiro dismisses it, knowing Keith has always been cagey about his past. Whatever it is, Shiro’s content with having to earn it. “I mean we are of a certain age, it’s possible um…”

“That I’m your mate?” Keith asks sweetly, reaching down and clasping Shiro’s prosthetic hand, intertwining their fingers. “Yeah. I really want to try this too.” 

Shiro’s heart soars in his chest as he watches Keith yawn and hold his hand against his chest again. 

“I know I’m gross right now, but I’m so fucking tired.” Keith sighs. “Would you um… stay with me awhile if I fell asleep?”

“I’ll be by your side until your heat passes.” Shiro promises, kissing Keith’s temple and settling in extra close, so Keith can keep holding his hand. “Go to sleep. I’m right here.”

“Thank you.” Keith says, so earnest that it makes Shiro’s chest ache. This poor man in his arms, who spent every heat by himself, who had been so adorably embarrassed in the training room earlier. Shiro’s going to treasure him. 

Shiro chooses to stay awake for a little while, enjoying the feeling of Keith in his arms. He’s not feverish anymore, but he’s still so warm, his skin soft. Shiro presses sweet kisses into Keith’s hair until he feels his breath even out and Keith is asleep in his embrace. He snores a tiny bit, which is cute, and it’s nice to see his face so serene and relaxed. 

Wanting to avoid waking him, Shiro carefully reaches out for Keith’s bedside lamp and pulls the cord to turn it off, dimming the room to near darkness. He’s about to roll back and go to sleep himself when he notices a faint purple glow coming from Keith’s bedside drawer. 

Shiro raises an eyebrow at light, glancing back at Keith to make sure he’s still asleep. Would it be creepy for him to look? He’s just curious. After all, he doesn’t want the light to wake up Keith.

Careful not to make a sound, he reaches out and pulls the drawer open, squinting when the violet light becomes a little brighter. It’s coming from an elaborate knife of some kind, why does Keith have a…? Shiro’s eyes lock on the blade’s insignia, glowing an unmistakable purple. 

It’s the purple glow of his old prison cell, of the torture chambers, the hallways he was dragged through to the arena. He recognizes the written language.

Shiro swallows hard, his heart hammering as he looks from the blade back to Keith, still sleeping peacefully naked beside him, unaware. Why would Keith have this? No one else but his mission and one other have ever encountered the Galra and they certainly didn’t bring any artifacts back. The place where his flesh meets his prosthetic at his shoulder twinges with phantom pain as he pulls away from Keith and slides out of bed, glaring as he takes the blade in his hand and looks it over. 

“Keith.” Shiro says, just loud enough to be heard. Keith stirs in his sleep. “ _Keith_.” He commands, louder this time, and Keith blinks his eyes open, yawning and looking around the room a moment before he looks over at Shiro and freezes. Shiro sees his reaction straight away. Keith’s eyes go wide, his face turns as pale as a sheet. “Why do you have this?” He asks, dropping the blade back in the drawer and shutting it to get the violet light away from him. “This is a _Galra_ blade, why on Earth would you have this? W-Why would you have anything from those monsters?”

Keith cringes and looks back up at him. He doesn’t have to say anything, Shiro sees it now. In the dark with all the lights out, it’s barely noticeable but it’s there… Keith’s eyes are glowing. 

“You’re…?” Shiro feels his blood run cold, his stomach turning as he steps back away from Keith. “H-Have you been fucking with me this whole time? Did they send you after me?!” His heart is racing as he quickly moves around the room, fumbling for his clothes. He can’t bring himself to think any of this through clearly, he only feels like he needs to escape, like he’s being hunted again, like he’s back on that _ship_. 

“Shiro, Shiro, no it’s nothing like that, please.” Keith pleads, jumping out of bed and rushing up to him. Shiro steps away and pulls his shorts up, his shirt still fisted in his hand. “I can explain. I-I was going to tell you, but everything happened so fast today and…”

“How can you explain this?” Shiro seethes, cocking his head back at the faint glow of Keith’s bedside drawer. 

“I’m not one of them.” Keith croaks, his eyes big and watery. If Shiro wasn’t feeling such a mix of betrayal, anger, and absolute terror, he would melt at that look. “I-I’m half. My mom is and I was supposed to be a part of the line for the throne, but I-I would have spent my whole life trying not to be assassinated, so m-my mom left me on Earth where she went to escape.” He hiccups hard, small tears starting to trickle down his cheeks. “She left me there with my dad when I was a baby then went back to fight in the resistance. She’s a good person, Shiro, I swear. She’s fighting the people that hurt you and I’ve spent my _entire_ life on Earth.”

Shiro’s head is spinning. It’s crazy, it _sounds_ crazy. His coworker, the person he’d become such good friends with, the person he’d just _made love_ to is suddenly an intergalactic prince for the very aliens that took his arm? He feels nauseous. It’s too much all at once, he didn’t even know Galra and humans could have children. He feels lied to. He feels like Keith has stabbed him in the back somehow, but watching him cry, his whole body is screaming at him to comfort him. 

He just told Keith that he would be his Alpha… that he would take care of him and be there for him and then Shiro had _fucked_ him. The scent Keith is giving off, the helpless way he’s weeping as he waits for Shiro to say something, every part of his being tells him to pull his Omega into his arms and comfort him, but his mind is screaming no. His thoughts are screaming to get out, to get away, that he’d just let an enemy incredibly close to him and if he sticks around, he’ll be tortured again or worse. His shoulder is aching.

“Shiro?” Keith hiccups. “Please say something, I swear I’m telling the truth.”

“I…” Shiro swallows hard and pulls his shirt on. “I have to go.”

“What? Shiro no, please.” Keith reaches out to grab his wrist then stops himself, slowly pulling it back as he looks at Shiro with pleading eyes — pleading _yellow_ eyes. “Please don’t go, please, y-you just…” His lips tremble as he looks back towards the bed. When he speaks, it’s almost in a whisper. “That was my first time…”

A pang of hard guilt stabs Shiro in the chest, but the emotions are too confusing to deal with right now. It’s too much, just _too much_. His breathing is quick, his temperature rising. He needs to go. 

So without a word, Shiro brushes past Keith for the door, waging an internal war inside himself between complete panic and the agonizing affection for the man he’s walking away from. 

He can’t have this conversation right now. No.

He needs to go somewhere and think. 

*****

Keith stares at the door when Shiro shuts it, tears streaming down his face, his breath hitching. This couldn’t have happened, how had he been so stupid? He just got so caught up in bringing Shiro back to his room and then the sex — _God_ , the _sex_ — that he didn’t think about the light from his drawer or the blade or any of it. 

Being in heat makes it so much more than heartbreaking, Keith feels shattered. It may have been his mate for life that just walked out the door and Keith can’t even blame him. He feels like a liar even if he was going to tell Shiro eventually, even if he had never told him anything dishonest, just left things out. Keith had given him his virginity… He’d given Shiro the most precious thing an Omega could give to an Alpha. He’d trusted him so completely and Shiro had just… left. 

He doesn’t know what to think. He feels like a horrible person for scaring Shiro off, but at the same time, he’s so hurt that Shiro would leave him like this. He’s still in heat, still undressed, the evidence of their lovemaking still between his legs. For a long moment, he just looks at the door, unwilling to believe Shiro had fucked him and then just run out of it. 

Keith curses himself, wiping his eyes again. He can’t act like Shiro is the bad guy here. Keith is the one who kept a secret. He always thought if he were to get together with Shiro that he’d disclose his identity before things got this far, but his heat got the best of him. The worst part is that he doesn’t regret the sex in the slightest. Shiro is the Alpha for him, but Keith may have scared him away for good.

He takes in a deep shaky breath and walks into the adjoined bathroom, shutting the door behind him and starting a cold shower. The soreness is really starting to set in. He’d never had sex with _anyone_ before and jumped right into taking someone Shiro’s size. It hurts and every part of his biology is confused as to why no one is comforting him.

Keith gets under the cool water and hiccups hard, hugging himself as the water washes over him, cleansing some of the mess, but not enough to really feel clean. He doesn’t _want_ to feel clean, he just wants Shiro. He wants his touch and his scent, his soothing words. The want brings another cry from his lips as he hastily tries to clean himself up. There isn’t another choice, he has to go and find him. He can’t let this happen. He can’t lose the person who he’s now entirely sure is his soulmate. Who else could make him feel this way? He’s been heat sick before, but it never affected his judgement so much that he would mistake this feeling for something else. 

He racks his brain for a moment, thinking of all of their favorite spots together, the places Shiro might go if he’s feeling upset or distraught. There’s one place Keith knows he’ll go. Even if it means flying into the desert with a fever, Keith is going to find him there. 

Keith shuts the water off and runs a towel over himself as quickly as he can, doing a haphazard job of drying himself before yanking on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He’s nowhere near presentable and his temperature is already climbing again, but he’s past caring. 

Not bothering to lock the door behind him, Keith grabs his ID card and races through the Garrison campus, making up a phony excuse about flight practice when he goes to check out a hoverbike. They give him the keys despite several concerning looks, but Keith can deal with his reputation later. 

He sticks a helmet on over his soaked hair, flicks the visor down, and speeds off into the desert. The sun sets early at this time of year and he’s positive Shiro will be in his favorite spot. A couple miles out on the sand, up to a high steep ledge, they can see the perfect view of a sun sinking below the horizon of sand. 

Keith guns it. _Shiro will be there. We can talk. He’ll listen. He has to listen, right? Did Shiro feel the same connection that Keith had?_

Keith shivers as the wind whips against him in his damp clothes, but squinting, he can see the ledge in the distance and the silhouette of another hover bike on top of it. His heart aches. 

“Shiro!” Keith begins calling as he flies up to the ledge. Even if Shiro can’t hear him yet, he can’t help himself. He makes a sloppy landing just behind Shiro and yanks his helmet off before tumbling off the bike. “Shiro?” He croaks. 

Shiro is next to his bike, looking down at Keith with wide eyes, but it only takes a moment for his surprise to fade into a glare. “Keith, I came out here to be alone.”

“I-I know, but…” Keith puts his hands on his knees and takes a deep breath. He’s so hot and so cold at the same time. “Shiro, please, please, just let me explain. I can’t live with you hating me after what we just did, I-I think we’re really meant to be together and I promise I can explain it all.”

“Explain what? That you’re one of the aliens that took my arm?” Shiro looks down at his prosthetic and flexes his fingers, but his expression has softened a little bit. “I don’t think you’re a completely different person. I don’t think you’ve faked your entire personality or our friendship or even… what we just did, but what the fuck is going on?” He lifts his gaze and turns it on Keith. He’s not angry anymore, he just looks… scared? Keith can certainly empathize with that right about now. “Are the Galra trying to get me back? I-I escaped, it’s not like I was released. Do they want to torture me again? Because I barely survived the first-”

“No.” Keith cuts him off, running up the remaining slope of sand and grabbing Shiro’s hands in his. He knows it’s a risk, but Shiro doesn’t jerk away. Keith just needs him to feel his honesty right now. “No, Shiro, I swear no one’s trying to hurt you. No one even knows you exist other than my mom and she only knows your first name a-and some of the fun stuff we’ve done together.” Keith stops and sniffles, the wind whipping in his face not helping his teary eyes. “I’m hiding from them just like you are. I… I-I come from a royal line, I’m supposed to be put on the throne by this age of an empire I want no part of at all.” 

Keith stops and squeezes Shiro’s hand, searching his eyes for understanding. “My mom came to Earth and met my dad. They had me together, but th-then she had to go back to space and Dad died.” He swallows hard. “She’s in hiding up there, working with a resistance against the empire. Since she had royal blood and created a baby with a human, she’s just as much on the run as anyone else. The Galra don’t know where I am. The only contact I have is with my mom and the resistance, they’re called the Blades of Marmora and they want all the violence to stop. My mom hates what the Galra did to you.”

“That’s… a lot.” Shiro takes a deep breath and lets go of Keith’s hands, chewing on his lower lip as he thinks. “You were born here?”

Keith nods. 

“And your mom going back and your dad… oh, Keith.” Shiro looks up at him and the familiar expression of concern is back on his face. His eyes are kind and worried, eyebrows scrunched together as he looks Keith over. “Do you think I could… meet your mom? How do you talk to her?”

Keith’s heart lifts. “Yes, yes, you totally could and I can video call her whenever I need.” He shivers hard again and has to hug himself as he looks at Shiro with pleading eyes. “Shiro, I… I gave you my virginity.” He swallows the lump in his throat, or tries to. “I’m an Omega, I don’t just… I saved myself for someone really important and even though I’m in heat, I made the decision to give it to you because, I…” The words catch in his throat for a second, but Keith balls his hands into fists and looks Shiro in the eyes, even with the tear tracks on his cheeks. “I love you, Shiro. I really, really love you.”

“Keith.” Shiro breathes and as the sun sets behind him, Keith thinks there can’t possibly be another man in this world he could love. His entire body is singing just being near him again, he’s standing strong even though he feels like fainting. This is his mate. Takashi Shirogane and Keith will be damned if he lets him go. “Oh, Keith, baby…” He steps forward and pulls Keith against his chest, hugging hard. “I believe you.”

“Really?” Keith’s breath hitches as he throws his arms around Shiro’s neck. He’s crying again, but he doesn’t care as he sticks his face into Shiro’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you first. I didn’t want to scare you away, b-but I know I fucked up.”

“No, no, I’m…” Shiro stops for another deep breath, but his hold on Keith only tightens with conviction. “I’m sorry. That purple light sent me back to a dark mental place, the prison, the arena, the torture… I had a big reaction and I took some anger out on you that I shouldn’t have. It just scared me.”

Keith hiccups and nods his head. “Are you scared of me now?”

“No.” Shiro answers decisively, loosening the hug just to pull back and cup Keith’s face instead. He’s smiling. “I think I may actually love you too.”

“Yeah?” Keith feels his lips spread into a grin and knows he must look ridiculous, pink eyes, soaking wet hair, and smiling like a maniac.

“What were you thinking coming out here like this though?” Shiro frowns as he looks him over. “Are you shaking?”

“Just the chills.” Keith winces, shivering again as he says it. His teeth are chattering a little bit. “I… I tried to take a shower, but everything just kept hurting, and I feel sick again. I know I shouldn’t be asking anything of you after what I just put us through, but please, if you could…” His lip trembles and he bites it to stop the quiver before speaking again. “Could you take care of me?”

“Get on behind me.” Shiro says, already climbing back onto his hoverbike and patting the space behind him. “We’ll drop the keys to yours off and someone else can fly out to get it. You’re sick.”

Keith doesn’t say a word, just nods and clambers onto the bike behind Shiro, hugging him as tight as he can from behind. 

It’s a bumpy and cold ride, but Keith already feels comforted being able to hold onto Shiro. His scent is overwhelming, calming his nerves and soothing the soreness in his muscles. 

It’s an awkward exchange when they drop off the hoverbike, but Shiro does the talking and escorts Keith quickly out, shielding him from sight when he can as they rush together back to Keith’s room. 

“Get in bed, baby. Try to relax, I’m gonna take your temperature.”

Keith obeys, sliding back into bed and watching as Shiro goes into the bathroom to rummage through his medicine cabinet. He returns with a thermometer, popping it into Keith’s mouth and pressing a hand to his forehead. A beeping sound and a tiny red screen indicate his fever and Shiro is quick to plant kisses over Keith’s face. 

“I’ve got you now, we’re gonna get that temp down, okay?” Shiro sets the thermometer aside and strips his jacket off, then his shirt. “Get those clothes off.”

Keith blushes at the command, but obeys again, kicking his jeans off and down to the floor, tugging his t-shirt over his head and off. In seconds, Shiro has crawled into bed next to him, dressed in only boxers as he pulls Keith in close. 

“Thank you.” Keith sighs in relief as Shiro’s comforting warmth and scent wash over him. “I don’t think I can function during heat without you after this.”

“Well, I’m happy to help my omega through his heats.”

Keith grins. 

They lie together in silence for a little while, holding one another close until Keith’s temperature starts to regulate again. The familiar twinge of longing is building once again in Keith’s abdomen and Shiro senses it before Keith has to say a word, kissing him softly and pushing him onto his back.

“Takashi.” Keith breathes when Shiro begins to kiss down his torso, to his stomach, and lower. “You don’t have to-”

“I want to.” Shiro says, looking up at him through that stupid adorable floof of hair on his forehead, his smile white as Keith’s ever seen it. “I’m not the kind of Alpha to hit and run, you know. Alien or not, I’m… I’m here, Keith.”

“You’re here.” Keith smiles back. If he wasn’t so dehydrated, he’d probably well up again with happy tears. “Mm, just make sure to wash your face after.” He says as he stretches his arms out and hooks his legs up over Shiro’s shoulders.

“Why?”

“You’re not meeting my mom with come on your face.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi @nuttinonice on Twitter!

**Author's Note:**

> Make sure to leave comments/kudos <3 Part 2 is already posted on another platform and will be up on AO3 in the near future. 
> 
> Come say hi on Twitter @nuttinonice !


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